


garmsir

by LiveLaughLovex



Series: i'll brighten up the sky [1]
Category: The Code (TV 2019)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Future, Developing Relationship, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Gen, Post-Season/Series 01
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-28
Updated: 2020-03-28
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:55:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23366569
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LiveLaughLovex/pseuds/LiveLaughLovex
Summary: It’s while they’re in Afghanistan, building a case against a lieutenant stationed at Camp Dwyer, that Harper’s worst nightmare unfolds.
Relationships: John "Abe" Abraham & Harper Li, John "Abe" Abraham & Maya Dobbins, John "Abe" Abraham/Harper Li, Maya Dobbins & Harper Li
Series: i'll brighten up the sky [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1680631
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	garmsir

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you're all healthy, safe, and not too stir-crazy! I've been writing and editing more than ever these past few days, so I decided to go ahead and post the first part of this series, which I've been writing since January but only just got around to editing. I hope you enjoy!

“We’re going to Garmsir?”

Abe glanced up from the file in his hands to meet Harper’s gaze. “Good morning, Captain Li,” he greeted drily, closing the folder he held and placing it on the desk in front of him. “How’re you today?”

“I’m… fine,” she answered, mildly confused but mostly irritated. “Are you going to tell me _why_ we’re going to Garmsir, or am I just supposed to guess?”

“You know,” he began conversationally, ignoring her previous remark, “maybe my memory’s getting worse in my old age…”

“You’re thirty-four,” she interrupted, unamused.

“…but I could’ve sworn you weren’t coming back until tomorrow evening,” he continued on as if she’d said nothing at all. “I had it on my calendar and everything, circled in red ink.”

“I caught an earlier hop back,” she explained, exasperated. “ _Now_ will you tell me why we’re going to Afghanistan?”

“For the weather. It’s beautiful this time of year,” Abe deadpanned, reaching over to grab the file from his desk and extending it in her direction. “You can read over that on the plane.”

“Why can’t I read through it now?” she asked.

“Because our hop leaves at 1030,” he explained, pushing away from his desk, “and I figured you’d probably want some time to yourself before then. You all squared away?”

She shrugged. “Not much more I can do in half an hour. Now, if you’d shared this information _more_ than thirty minutes before we had to leave, that might be different, but…”

“You just got here,” he protested.

“I have this thing called a phone,” she retorted pointedly. “No point in having this argument right now, though. I need to go grab a few things from my trunk. I should probably tell my parents I’m leaving the country too, shouldn’t I?” 

“Yes,” he nodded. “You should.”

“You weren’t supposed to agree with me,” she informed him as she headed for the door.

“Sorry. You should still tell them, though,” he reiterated. 

“I’m going to,” she returned sharply. “Just… not right now. Don’t question my process, Abraham.”

“I wouldn’t dare,” he replied solemnly.

“You absolutely would,” she volleyed back. “I’ll see you at the airfield. After I call my parents,” she tacked on before he could question her once more. 

“Got it. Hey, do me a favor; don’t lose too much of your sanity during that conversation, please,” he called as she ducked into the bullpen.

“I make no promises.” 

-o-

It was an Article 104 case that was taking them to Garmsir District, Harper learned on their hop to Lashkar Gah. Aiding the enemy. A lieutenant stationed at Camp Dwyer had become involved with the daughter of an Afghan warlord several months earlier and had been sharing confidential information with the family ever since. Some of the leaked information had led to an attack that had resulted in the deaths of two Marines; another was fighting for his life in the Intensive Care Unit at Landstuhl. Unsurprisingly, it’d taken investigators less than half a day to refer charges.

“Who’s working defense?” Harper questioned once she’d finished with her reading.

“Pfister,” Abe informed her, smirking slightly at the exasperated glint in her eyes. “I know, but Trey’s sticking close to home as often as possible until the twins are born, and Maya’s got some sort of family emergency, so…”

“So Pfister’s who we’ve been left with,” Harper concluded. “Lovely.”

While Pfister was a perfectly respectable Marine, he didn’t present much of a challenge in a courtroom. There was a reason he’d been assigned to this case, and it was because the Corps wanted it handled quickly and quietly. They wanted Lieutenant Riggins to remain in the brig until the day he died. They didn’t particularly care if the deck had to be stacked against him in order for that happen.

“Maya’s going to catch the first hop she can and take over for him,” Abe offered, “but until then, yes. Pfister’s who we’ve been left with.”

“And again, I say, ‘ _lovely_ ,”’ she muttered under her breath.

“Well, he’s catching a later hop than us,” Abe offered. “Court ran late.”

“More likely he _made_ it run late,” Harper remarked. “If Turnbull assigned him to this one…”

“Okay, the guy’s not _that_ bad of a lawyer,” Abe interrupted, wincing when he caught sight of the look she shot him. “Yeah, I don’t really believe me, either,” he admitted with a slight laugh.

“The Corps really doesn’t want the lieutenant to walk away from this, do they?”

“No,” Abe confirmed seriously. “They don’t. They’re gunning for the death penalty, actually. If I had to guess, the people in charge want to make an example of him.”

“What?” Harper scoffed incredulously. “Really?”

Abe shrugged. “That’s what I’m hearing. Turnbull pulled me aside earlier to warn me this entire case is going to be a political landmine.”

“The military hasn’t actually executed anybody since 1960,” Harper pointed out, still surprised by the revelation. “That was almost sixty years ago. Times have changed.”

“That’s true,” Abe agreed mildly. “But he’s a traitor to his country. They want to be sure nobody else is going to follow in his footsteps.”

“I’d imagine the prospect of spending twenty-five to life in the brig would be enough to deter the majority,” Harper retorted drily. “The backlash they’re going to face if the panel votes to execute this guy… I can’t even _imagine_ it.”

“That’s because it’s unimaginable,” Abe replied absently, glancing up from his phone to meet her gaze. “Don’t worry, Harper. The panel’s not going to conclude he should be executed. He’s going to spend the rest of his life in the brig, sure, but it won’t go beyond that. This is all about the principle of the thing, that’s all.”

“If we go into this knowing the panel’s not going to convict if the death penalty’s attached to his charges, then that essentially makes the whole thing an empty threat,” Harper pointed out. “Last I checked, the Corps isn’t in the habit of making those.”

“We aren’t,” Maya remarked, settling into the seat across from her. “Or at least I didn’t _think_ we were,” she added pointedly, glancing over at Abe. “Maybe I was wrong.”

“Captain Dobbins,” he greeted wryly. “Aren’t you supposed to be dealing with an emergency?”

“I did,” the defense attorney shrugged. “I took care of what needed to be taken care of at home, and now I’ll take care of what needs to be taken care of overseas. No way in hell was I going to let Pfister handle this one on his own.” She met Abe’s gaze once more. “We both know there is no chance that the panel’s going to convict if the death penalty’s attached. And don’t even try to deny that you know that,” she interrupted before he could protest, “because I heard most of your conversation with Harper before I sat down. We’ve come to the same conclusion. The only thing that is left to discuss is a _deal_.”

“I’m not discussing a deal before we get to Camp Dwyer,” Abe scoffed. “I really would like to _keep_ my job, if it’s all the same to you.”

“Harper?” Maya muttered exasperatedly, glancing over at the prosecutor.

The other woman offered a helpless shrug. “I know we’re the same rank now, but he’s still lead counsel,” she reminded her friend. “So…”

“No deal until we touch down in Afghanistan,” Maya concluded, settling back in her seat with an irritated huff. “Understood. Just so you know, though,” she added, gesturing between them, “this is going to be a long fourteen hours for the two of you.”

“It was already going to be,” Abe muttered under his breath, glancing over at Harper with a fond smile.

“I think that was her way of telling us she’s going to make it feel longer,” Harper murmured back.

“Oh.” Abe nodded once. “Well, then, I think it’s my turn to say, ‘ _lovely_.’” He smirked at the look on her face. “Doesn’t work as well when I say it, huh?”

“Please,” she pleaded, “never do that again.”

He huffed a laugh, shaking his head. “As you wish.”

-o-

There were Marines who swore you eventually adapted to life in a warzone. Warfare was second nature to them; they reacted first, then dealt with the consequences later. It didn’t mean they slept well at night. Sometimes, though, it meant they all made it home at night. They improvised; they adapted; they overcame. They got up the following morning and did it all over again.

Harper didn’t think she’d ever adapt the way those people did. She didn’t think she’d ever learn how to compartmentalize quite as well as them, not when the boot from Paducah seated next to her stopped laughing at his own corny joke because he was too busy choking on his own blood. Not when the Humvee in front of them had been thrown in the air and was suddenly surrounded by fire and flames, and the only sound in the vicinity seemed to be the echo of Captain Garrity’s screams.

The insurgents came out of the woodwork almost immediately after the Humvee before them struck the IED. Harper drew in a deep breath, her ears ringing, and then reached for her weapon, ready, once more, to do what had to be done.

She wasn’t going to sleep that night; she knew that much. What she was also certain of was that half a dozen Marines weren’t going to die because she couldn’t take the shot. So, she did. Harper aimed, and she fired, and, as her target fell, she reloaded her weapon, blinked back her tears, and vowed to deal with the consequences tomorrow as she took aim once more.

-o-

They were interviewing a woman in a nearby village – one with connections to their warlord’s daughter, not that she was being overly helpful – when the call came in, informing them of what had happened on the road directly outside Camp Dwyer. The second the message came over the line – _Captain Li was in one of the vehicles at the time of the explosion –_ he was headed for their waiting Humvee. Fortunately, Maya had enough presence of mind to quickly thank the woman for her time before hurrying after him.

“I’m sure she’s okay,” the other captain tried to assure him as they drew nearer to the front gates. “This is _Harper_ we’re talking about, after all. She knows how to handle herself. She’s done it…”

“I know she’s done it before,” Abe interrupted sharply. “That’s not the point. She’s a _lawyer_. She was never supposed to have to do it _again_.”

“I know,” Maya sighed sympathetically. “I know she wasn’t. But she’s going to be okay, Abe,” she insisted once more. “You barging in there like this isn’t going to make things any easier.”

“I know that,” he muttered. “I just…”

“Yeah.” Maya patted him gently on the shoulder. “I know.”

Abe didn’t do much more than breathe for the rest of their drive. When they pulled through the camp’s gates, he finally inhaled deeply, though every possible worst-case scenario continued to run through his mind at about a thousand miles an hour as they were waved in and immediately directed to the medical tent.

The prosecutor was out and headed for the tent’s closed flap before the Humvee could even come to a complete stop behind him, ignoring the young driver’s half-hearted protests as he ducked inside and glanced around frantically. His racing heart slowed only slightly when he caught sight of Harper in the far corner of the room.

“Hi,” he greeted quietly, waiting until the medic excused herself before settling onto the edge of the bed. “Are you okay?”

She nodded once; her eyes indecipherable as they met his. “Just a scratch.”

“One that needed stitches,” he pointed out, glancing down at her bandaged arm. “How’s your head?”

“It’s okay,” she sighed. “I’ve got a mild concussion, but it’s…” She glanced around the room, her gaze darkening slightly as she caught sight of all the injured Marines surrounding her. “It’s nothing compared to them.”

“Okay. Well, what about this?” he questioned, gently grasping her chin and brushing aside a loose strand of hair in order to get a better look at the gash along her hairline. “There’s pretty substantial bleeding here, Harper; they might need to take a look.”

“It’s nothing,” she muttered. “Head wounds always bleed more.”

“Which is why they’re nothing to play around with,” Abe remarked. “If it’s serious…”

“It isn’t,” she insisted once more.

“Okay,” he agreed, raising his hands in surrender. The agonized glint in her eyes told him it was probably best if he just backed off, at least for the time being. “The medic has to give you a clean bill of health before we can leave, though, so she’ll probably want to check over it again.”

“I… all right,” Harper agreed begrudgingly, sounding more defeated than she ever had before. “Is there… do we know anything about the others?” she questioned.

“The others?” Abe repeated, confused.

“The captain and Private Janssens,” Harper supplied. “Captain Garrity’s wife just had their third baby, a little girl, and Janssens… he was going to propose to his girlfriend when he got home.”

Abe’s heart broke a little more in that moment, seeing the way her eyes glistened with tears she refused to shed. He nodded once. “I’ll go see if I can find anything out, all right? I’ll be back.”

She murmured her thanks, smiling sadly as he left in search of a medic, and he already knew that the look in her eyes as she watched him go was something that’d haunt him until his last breath.

-o-

“Hey,” Maya greeted gently, settling onto the corner of the bed Abe had just vacated. “Glad to see you’re okay. You had us worried for a second there, Li.”

“Sorry,” Harper mumbled, glancing away from her friend. “It wasn’t supposed to…”

“I know,” Maya interrupted softly. “The rest of the insurgents have been captured, though,” she informed the prosecutor. “Hopefully they’ll give up some information on whoever designed the IED, if it wasn’t them. That’ll help us stop this from happening to someone else down the line.”

“Good,” Harper breathed, meeting the other woman’s gaze. “That’s good.”

“Yeah,” Maya agreed quietly. “It is.” She glanced up when Abe returned, quickly standing from her seat so that Abe could once again settle onto the corner of the bed. “I’m going to go check in on some things. Let me know when you’re ready to leave,” she added before heading for the tent flap and ducking outside.

Abe waited until the flap closed behind her before sharing the information he’d been given with his fellow prosecutor. “Private Janssens is stable. He had some internal bleeding, so they rushed him into surgery, but the nurse assured me his doctors are optimistic. It looks like he’s going to pull through, Harper.”

Harper exhaled sharply with relief, her eyes drifting shut for a moment before they met his once more. “What about Captain Garrity?” she questioned.

Abe’s face fell slightly, and he glanced away for what felt like forever before finally meeting her gaze once more. “Captain Garrity’s being transported to Landstuhl.”

“Why?” Harper demanded, panicked at the very concept.

“Because he – hey, breathe,” he ordered gently, resting a hand on her shoulder and waiting until she was once again inhaling and exhaling somewhat evenly before continuing. “Because he had some issues with feeling in his feet.”

“He can’t feel his feet?” Harper repeated worriedly.

“Not at the moment, but that doesn’t mean…” He shook his head. “Don’t go there,” he pleaded softly. “There’s no way of knowing if he’s paralyzed yet. Could just be the shock, or something they can repair in an hour or two. It’s not always worst-case scenario, Harper.”

“This is a war we’re fighting here, Abe,” she reminded him tiredly. “Maybe it isn’t always the worst-case scenario, but, more often than not, that’s exactly what it is.”

He didn’t know what to say to that; didn’t know if she really wanted him to say anything at all. So, instead of speaking, he squeezed her shoulder once more, gently, and mustered up what he hoped was a convincing smile, all the while praying that, at least for the time being, that would be enough.

-o-

Harper remained relatively silent for the next few hours, even as they met with the lieutenant and reached an agreement that would put him in the brig for the rest of his life, though it did take the death penalty off the table.

“It doesn’t feel like enough,” Harper muttered as Abe fell into step alongside her. “You heard the reports, didn’t you?”

“I did,” he confirmed quietly. “They lost two of Garrity’s men.”

“We never should’ve been here, Abe. If we hadn’t been here…”

“Hey,” Abe said sharply, causing her steps to falter as she spun to look at him. “You being with them out there did not magically make that IED appear. They go that way fifty times a week, if not more; Garrity’s CO himself told you that. This isn’t your fault, Harper.”

“Maybe,” Harper said softly, staring off into the distance. “That doesn’t change the fact that it happened on my watch, though.” She turned around before he could protest any further. “You think we can get an update on Garrity and Janssens while we’re on the hop back?” the captain asked over her shoulder.

“Maybe,” Abe returned absently. “I’ll make some calls.”

She glanced back at him, her grateful smile the first he’d seen since barging into the medical tent several hours earlier. “Thank you.”

“Absolutely,” he replied without hesitation. “Hey, Harper,” he added before she could turn back around. “Are you okay?”

She stared at him for a moment in silence, then nodded once. “Yeah, of course. I’m just tired. I’ll be glad to get home.” She preceded him onto the plane, then settled into her usual chair.

“Okay,” he agreed easily enough, deciding it best not to call her out on the obvious lie. “Well, try to get some sleep,” he suggested. “I’ll see what I can find out.”

“Alright,” she replied softly, mustering up another smile as she settled back against the headrest.

She didn’t sleep at all on the flight back; that much was obvious. Her shoulders never relaxed, and she shifted uncomfortably about every five seconds. He didn’t mention it once they touched down, though. There were some battles he’d fight with her, especially in the days and weeks to come, but that wouldn’t be one of them.

-o-

Three days later, when the court martial was finally over, he asked Harper out for their typical after-case drinks. Unsurprisingly, she denied his offer of company, apologetically informing him a friend from Stanford was visiting for a few days and that they’d made plans for the evening. He once again chose not to call her out on the obvious lie, instead smiling as she walked out of their shared office and hoping that this wouldn’t last forever; that eventually, when she was ready, she would come to him or go to someone else for the help she obviously needed.

An hour or so later, a knock on his office door made him glance up. He flashed a genuine smile as Trey Ferry entered the office, hanging his jacket over the chair Harper had vacated. “I didn’t know you were still here,” he remarked as his former co-counsel sat down across from him. “Is everything okay with Nona? The babies are still growing like they should, right?”

“They are,” Trey confirmed, exhaling deeply. “And Nona’s fine. She just happens to be on the brink of going insane – her words, not mine – and me hovering would likely send her right over the edge, so I’m catching up on all the paperwork I’ve been neglecting.”

Abe chuckled mildly, shaking his head. “You’re avoiding your wife because she scares you.”

“Not typically,” Trey protested unconvincingly. “At this exact moment in time, though…” He trailed off, shrugging defeatedly a few moments later. “Maybe you’re right. She’s terrifying.”

“Only a few more months before it’s over,” Abe reminded his friend, typing up the last of the information from the Riggins court martial before closing out of the screen and giving the major his full attention. “There a reason you left behind the comfort of the defense floor this late at night?”

“Well, the coffee selection is superior here,” Trey retorted evenly, smirking slightly before his expression transformed into something much more serious. “I heard about what happened with Harper in Afghanistan. Thought you could use a friend.”

“Me?” Abe repeated, surprised. “I’m not the one who almost _died_ , Trey.”

“No,” Trey agreed mildly. “You’re not. But Abe, you and Harper…”

“Are _friends_ ,” he cut in firmly. “That’s all.”

“If you say so,” Trey surrendered, leaning back slightly in his chair. “How’s she doing?”

“She’s… Harper,” Abe replied exasperatedly. “Which means nobody’s going to know anything about what’s actually going on with her until she decides it’s time for them to.”

“I’m sure she’ll talk to you,” Trey offered, raising his hands in surrender at the unimpressed look the younger man shot his way. “Like you said, you two are friends. Friends talk about things like this.”

Abe nodded once, accepting the explanation. “I don’t think Harper’s going to talk to _anybody_ until she’s forced to. It’s just not her way.”

“She’ll talk when she’s ready, forced or not,” Trey returned. “And she’ll need you to listen.”

“Yeah,” Abe sighed, feeling every ounce of fight leave his body as he leaned his head back against his seat. “I know.”

“Abe,” Trey began hesitantly, waiting until the captain sat up straighter before continuing. “Does she know?”

“Does she know _what_?” Abe questioned tiredly.

“How you feel about her,” Trey elaborated. “Have you told her?”

“No,” Abe muttered, glancing away from his friend. “She doesn’t, because I haven’t.”

Trey nodded once, having anticipated that answer. “Whether it’s out there or not – it sounds like whatever she went through over there was a nightmare. She’s going to need somebody who cares about her unconditionally, Abe. She’s going to need _you_. So, either set your emotions aside or let them come to the forefront; whichever makes it easier for you to put her first right now. There’ll be time for the rest of it after she’s over this hurdle.”

“Yeah,” Abe agreed quietly, clearing his throat. “I’ll… I’ll figure it out.”

“Good.” Trey stood slowly from his seat, wincing when the movement caused an old knee injury to start aching for the second time that week. “Try to get home before the morning this time,” he requested as he headed for the door.

“I’ll do my best,” Abe promised. “Tell Nona hi for me.”

“I will,” Trey assured him. “And you tell Harper that if she needs anything…”

“She already knows,” Abe cut in, amused. “But I’m sure she’ll be grateful for the reminder.”

Trey nodded again. “Nona’s going to want you over for dinner one night soon,” he warned the younger man. “I thought you might appreciate a reminder before she starts texting you hourly.”

“Yeah,” Abe huffed a laugh. “Thanks. I’ll call her tomorrow, set something up.”

“You do that.” Trey headed once more for the door, turning back just before he exited to look at the war veteran seated behind him. “She’s been through a lot, you know. Our Captain Li. We’ve only had her a year, and we’ve already put her through hell.” He paused. “I am glad she has you, Abe. Even if it’s not…” He shrugged. “You keep her centered.”

“Well,” Abe muttered, glancing away embarrassedly to glance over a report he’d already sent in, “she does the same for me.”

“I know. That’s the way it’s supposed to be.” Trey offered one more supportive smile before exiting the office entirely, hastily calling, “’Night!” over his shoulder as he went.

“’Night,” Abe returned distractedly, glancing down at his phone’s screen and wincing when he saw the time. “Well,” he muttered under his breath, “guess I’ll have to break _that_ promise.”

He had more paperwork to finish, after all. That was how he justified it to himself, at least. He wasn’t staying to avoid overthinking about Harper and all the things Trey had said about her. If he overthought every interaction he had that involved frank discussion of his feelings for her, he wouldn’t even bother _talking_ to Maya some days.

(If he texted her to check in and spent half an hour waiting for her response before relaxing, then that was nobody’s business but his own.)

-o-

“Abe,” Harper greeted once she’d opened the door, her expression and tone both conveying her complete surprise. “I… do we have a case?” she asked finally.

“No,” he rushed to assure her. “I just… coffee?” he offered, extending one of the cups he held. “You go jogging in the mornings, right?”

“I do,” she confirmed, still mildly confused. “Around the park. Why?”

“I usually stick to the gym,” he explained, handing her a bag containing two chocolate croissants, as well. “It’s easier, most days. But I figured maybe it was time for a change of scenery. Nothing wrong with spending time in nature, right? Most people even recommend it, I hear.”

She tried not to smile at that; he could tell. Unfortunately for her (and very, very fortunately for him), she was unsuccessful. “You brought me chocolate croissants to bribe me into sharing my favorite running trail with you, Abraham?” she questioned lightly.

“Well, we’ve got to burn the calories off somehow,” he offered casually, grinning at her when she simply rolled her eyes. “Look, if you don’t want to come with me…” he led.

“No, no,” she sighed exasperatedly, shaking her head fondly as she turned back toward her living room. “Give me five minutes?” she requested over her shoulder.

“Five minutes,” Abe repeated definitively. “You take a second longer than that, I’m leaving you here.”

“You don’t know where the trail is,” she called back, amused.

“I’ll figure it out!” he retorted, reveling in her short, surprised burst of laughter.

(She emerged from her room exactly four minutes later, which was good for him. It meant he didn’t have to admit to her – or to himself – that he’d lied.

He’d wait a lot longer than five minutes for her. If he was being honest with himself, he already knew he’d wait forever.

He didn’t tell her that, though. She wasn’t at a point where she was ready to hear it, not yet. Anyway, Trey had been right. There’d be time for that later.

For now, this – being by Harper’s side, making her laugh even on her worst days – was more than enough. In fact, if it was all he got to do for the rest of his days, he was relatively certain he’d die a happy man.)

**Author's Note:**

> The title for the series comes from Taylor Swift's "Soon You'll Get Better," a song that has absolutely nothing to do with the subject of this. This particular lyric just fit SO well in my mind, though, that I couldn't bring myself to use any other.


End file.
